Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
~ MPs sworn in ~
HARBOUR VIEW--The fifteen Members of Parliament (MPs) elected during the August 29 Parliamentary Elections took their oaths to serve in the presence of Governor Eugene Holiday on Friday.
Sworn in were United People's (UP) party MPs Theo Heyliger, Franklin Meyers, Silvio Matser, Tamara Leonard, Maurice Lake, Lloyd Richardson and Johan "Janchi Leonard; Democratic Party ((DP)) MPs Sarah Wescot-Williams and Cornelius de Weever; United St. Maarten (US) Party MPs Frans Richardson and Leona Marlin and National Alliance (NA) MPs William Marlin, Silveria Jacobs, George Pantophlet and Christopher Emmanuel. Leona Marlin has joined the UP/de Weever coalition. It could not be ascertained whether she has declared herself an independent MP.
Holiday told the MPs that they have a central and critical role to play in fostering good governance in St. Maarten with due observance of the principles of democracy, the rule of law, the principle of the separation of powers, the dignity and value of the individual and the entitlement of all individuals to the fundamental rights and freedoms, as anchored in the preamble of the constitution.
"Members of Parliament-elect, these important principles are the foundations on which the constitutional order and governance of our people are based. They are intended to foster and ensure that we are governed freely, honestly, fairly, justly and respectfully in the pursuit of the building of our nation," he told the MPs.
The new Parliament will sit for four years – 2014-2018.
Holiday said it should be clear that the MPs' individual and collective mandate comes with high expectations. "It is no secret that there are questions among our people in regard to the commitment of parliamentarians. To meet the high expectations and discard questions about your commitment, you must have high expectations of yourselves. The law acknowledges that and, as a result, requires that parliamentarians must take an oath. It is against the background of that legal provision that you are here today. Taking an oath or making a pledge as a representative of the people is therefore a serious legal, but also personal and public matter."
Holiday urged the MPs to the four aspects as stipulated in the oath they took. He said accepting the function of parliamentarian through the taking of an oath is a solemn expression of the MP's commitment to perform his/her function independently and with integrity, that is that they have not accepted anything from or given anything to anyone in connection with their election as an MP.
"Second, taking the oath is your pledge of allegiance to the king and the Kingdom Charter. Third, taking the oath is your sincere pledge or promise to always uphold the Constitution of St. Maarten and finally, by taking the oath, you unconditionally swear to always dedicate yourself to foster the wellbeing of the people of St. Maarten," he said.
"In taking this solemn oath, you accept and agree to our constitutional principles as the cornerstone of your mandate as representatives of the people of St. Maarten. In that regard, there rests on you individually as Members of Parliament, and collectively as the Parliament of St. Maarten, a great responsibility to represent and serve the general interest of our people and meet the high expectations that come with the function which you are about to fulfil."
Holiday urged the MPs to use their oath as a guide in the performance of their function to fulfil their mandate aimed at addressing, amongst other things, the education, employment, health care, cost of living, housing and challenges in crime. "I trust that in doing so, that you will embrace our constitutional principles and that you will act with purpose, but with reflection, courageously, but with due thoughtfulness, deliberately, but prudently, self-reliant, but with compassion, working together with honour and respect to continue to build this our beloved nation St. Maarten," he said.
The ceremony was held at the governor's Cabinet at Harbour View.
